In My Sewing Room

Great weather for ducks and sewing .... A change to weekend plans meant more sewing time Sunday and this was my result.

A Holly Cottage Christmas (Michelle Ridgway) is a finished top ... off to join my growing stash of 'to be quilted' ... love it!

Then time to touch on a UFO so  I made a few more 4 patches for my Calendar Quilt.

Earlier in the week I finished February stitches for Ruth's Quilt (Leanne Beasley) and traced off 3 tags ready for March goal.

Today is book work day and that other stuff known as housework ... maybe squeeze in a little stitching if I'm good.

FNWF Results

Last night I was busy tending my garden and fixing the guttering.

My last block of A Holly Cottage Christmas is complete ... Just needs holly berries which will be added once quilted ... only a couple days late for February.

Also late is my Christmas Tree or Crepe Myrtle ... love the purple snow on the ground. Off to the cattle yards now to be a farmers wife ... planning to visit Friday night friends later to see what kept you busy last night.

FNSI Result

Flowers to help make a house a home ... at Holly Cottage.

This block of A Holly Cottage Christmas (Michelle Ridgeway) is not only the last block, it has quite a bit of embroidery to blossom ... meeting my February target.

Friday night's made more enjoyable thanks to friends and sewing ... and extra enjoyable watching the Olympics on TV.  Skate on over here to see how other's spent their Friday night.

FNWF Report

Thank you Cheryll for hosting once again in 2018 ... happy to report I was pleased with my efforts and enjoyed a lovely night in.  First off was some tracing to get me back on track with Ruth's Quilt ... stitcheries 10 to 15 for December and January.

November stitcheries 7, 8, 9 were finished off the night before.

While making a quick trip to my Brother's place yesterday, this friendly feathered friend stopped by to share my snack by the roadside. I was sitting in the car with the door open so it used the top of the door for a perch.

Home again and after some more gardening in the late evening, I put the finishes stitches in the January block for AHCC which I had started on Friday night.

With the temperatures rising this morning, this happy chapping was taking advantage of the solar panel for our landline radio telephone.

Now I'm off to see what else others were making on Friday night.

One More Tick

Another to-do ticked off for December ... this yummy block for A Holly Cottage Christmas.

Only 2 blocks to go. Now I'm stitching on Ruth's Quilt for November ... always seem to be playing catch-up 😊

Enjoying my down time so much.

Just Crusin' In and FNSI

Well then!  Looking back, all I can say is that I hope 2018 is a lot more productive in the crafty department ...

On the up side, I haven't felt like I'm hurtling head first down a steep hill about to crash into the end of the year. Hence my title ... feels more like a leaf floating down a quiet stream ... just crusin' along with the current ... nice.

We had a busy start to the school holidays, mustering and branding with our youngest musterer keeping up with the pace ...little champion.

  

Before work came play ... celebrating dad's 80th Birthday ... horseshoe mudcake by yours truely.

Then a trip to town to 'finish' the Christmas List, followed by a weekend with some stitching and prepping.  Miss November is complete with bucket and spade ...

while Miss December is traced and awaiting needle and thread to weave their magic.

I also have my AHJC block for December pieced, appliqued and ready for the final embroidery. So a little progress is happening.

Looking forward to joining in with Wendy and friends for the final FNSI for the year ... pop over, sign up and help spread some Festive Joy.

Merry Christmas

December Traditions

Once upon a time when my children were little, a tradition began. We always waited until the first weekend in December to put any Christmas decorations up ... roll the clock forward almost 3 decades and

with Christmas Carols filling the air, Grandson J and I have been busy spreading cheer throughout our home.

For each day during the month of November , DD and I decluttered an equal number of "things" ie: on the 1st, 1 item, on the 2nd, 2 items and so on all the way to 30 items on the 30th. At first it was daunting and again getting towards the biggest numbers ... but it only takes the right storage cupboard and it was easy peasy. Now must of my cupboards have been emptied and re-organized ... oh what a feeling!

Decisions have been made and steps taken to also declutter life in general so we're ready to take on whatever 2018 has in store. But let's not rush through December, I have some stitching to catch up on ... one more week of paid work ...

I did manage one finish for November.

Enjoying the sound of rain on the roof ... time for a relaxing cuppa.

FNSI After a Wet Week

Wow, what a deluge!  Here on the Queeensland coast our parched lands have been once again flooded...seems we just keep bouncing from floods to drought and back to floods. We received 8 inches of beautiful rain which has filled the dams and tanks as well as boosted the brown dry grasses back to a healthy looking green. Areas closer to the coast received over 20 inches.

Nothing like good rain to bring forth new growth.

Of course that much water has run the creeks and rivers and we're once again locked in by flooded roads ... good thing I have several projects on the go to keep me busy. In fact I have managed to finish my October list ...

So as it is FNSI time with Wendy and friends, I have dug out a ball of cotton and knitting needles ...

I'm in desperate need of a new dishcloth for myself.
Happy Friday

FNSI and Sunday Stitching

Thanks to all the lovely friends who join in for a Friday night of sewing, I was able to finish the embroidery on my August block for A.H.C.C.

Then last night I traced the stitchery on the September block and enjoyed a Sunday Stitch In today ... officially caught up on this Stitch-a-long, yay!

Thank you for your lovely company ... always an enjoyable evening knowing friends all over are sewing/stitching too xx

FNSI and Some Catch Up

Continuing on with getting back into the swing of sewing, I'm joining in with Wendy and friends over HERE for FNSI.

DD is visiting and brought her knitting, I'll be stitching on my August block for A Holly Jolly Christmas. I finished the machine applique for both August and September last weekend.

Leave a draw open for a moment and someone is quick to move in.

August Calendar Bear is tucked away with her friends, if only I needed my umbrella more often.

So, what do you do when sewing time becomes harder to find and you're trying to play catch up on current projects and sew-a-longs? ... Join another group of course. I couldn't help myself and when my best friend had this book sitting on her shelf

I  started thinking of some black/white fat quarters I have been collecting and asked to join with the No Fuss Stitch-a-long HERE.

Not sure if its the best colourway to go with but I'm keen to have a play and see.

Off to mop the floors and see to tonights dinner so I can stitch guilt free.

Block by Block

Seems my projects are all progressing block by block at the moment ... at least there is progress ... just no finished flimsy in sight for a while.

July Calendar Bear

A Holly Cottage Christmas - June Block

AHCC - July Block

Only half way through July ... what else can I work on I wonder?

A Stitch or Two

Seems sewing/stitching has taken a backseat to everytthing else. I did manage some prep work for a stitich-a-long and stitched this little tweetie last night.

I have also managed to keep up with June Calendar Bear by Michelle Ridgeway.

Cattle work has kept us super busy this past week and the new season babies are arriving ... so so cute at this size.

Late evenings come around quickly when the sun sets earlier for Winter.

Party Time

Yes, it's party time in the Chookshed to celebrate 5 years of  fabric, fun and friendship. I've managed to don my party hat briefly and make some prep time happen towards my A Holly Cottage Christmas stitch-a-long quilt.

With chores done yesterday I was about to start cutting into these lovelies.

Until Mr C requested help with one of the bore pumps. Then it was time to head into town for the annual show and Grandson J came home with us afterwards. So today when Pa and J went to check the molasses tubs, out came the iron, cutting mat, rulers and cutter.

Finished just in time to get smoko. All base fabric squares, sashes, first and outer borders and binding cut ready. Waiting now till the spare bed is spare once more so I can lay them all out for a look see.

Rustic scones for smoko. 

Make your way through the balloons and streamers to see who else was at Chooky's party.  http://chookyblue.blogspot.com.au